Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with my colleagues in welcoming the announcement that 250 new gardaí will be recruited. It is good news for the young people involved, as they will now get good jobs in An Garda Síochána. It will also mean a lot for the security and policing of our State at difficult times. In addition, it will bring the force up to that magical figure of 13,000.

I also welcome the news that milk quotas will now be abolished, which will create up to an estimated 1,000 jobs. Over the past 30 years, people have not had the chance to expand production because of milk quotas. However, dairy farmers are currently making a huge investment in dairy programmes for the future. The abolition of quotas will create more jobs and will provide an opportunity to export more output from our growing agri-food business. All in all, therefore, it is good news for the agricultural sector.